Siddur Beit Yaakov of Rabbi Yaakov Emden, Austria c. 1930. Edition published according to the Leghorn print of 1904. This was the siddur used by the Admor of Stropkov, Rabbi Yechezkel Shraga Lipshitz Halberstam, who inherited it from previous generations of his family [prior to the Holocaust]. The siddur has been adorned with dozens of glosses in the Admor’s hand, most with allusions to hidden meanings and kabbalistic ideas.
The title page of the prayer book bears the Admor’s signature and stamp. An interesting gloss with an idea that the Admor heard from the “Divrei Yechezkel,” the Admor of Shinova, appears near the blessing of “She’asa li kol tzarki.” He writes in his name: “He said that we should say this blessing in the present tense (oseh).” On leaf 6 there is an interesting gloss regarding the importance of the Ashkenazic accent in contrast to the Sephardic one. The name of Hash-m, with a lengthier combination of letters than normally accepted, has been added to the top of dozens of leaves. In addition, some places bear words in initials, alluding to kabbalistic ideas – angels’ names, various combinations of G-d’s names – to think these ideas according to the various months (in Hallel) and kabbalistic initials. In addition, the Admor underlined various sentences in the halachot and noted “very important.” Includes some comments regarding the text itself. The last page features a number of handwritten lines stating that the Admor of Stropkov inherited this siddur from his brother … Rabbi Baruch Avraham Lipshitz …”
Thick siddur, 472 leaves. Stains, many usage marks, primarily to the leaves pertaining to kiddush and meals marking the fulfillment of mitzvahs. The front, back and spine of the binding are detached. Moderate condition.